Manuskate



(No Model.)

S. RABINOWITZ.

MANUSKATE. No. 581,563. Patented Apr. 27-, 1897.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY;

Nirnn Srarns FFICE.

SAMUEL RABINOIVITZ, OF HOUTZDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUSKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,563, dated April27, 1897. Application filed November 27, 1895. Serial No. 570,271. (Nomodel.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL RABINOWITZ, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Houtzdale, in the county of Clearfield and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMauuskates, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in whichsimilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to skating and sleighing' devices; and theobjectthereof is to provide an article which combines the qualities ofboth and which I call a manuskate, a further object being to provide adevice of this class which is simple in construction and operation andcomparatively inexpensive and which is adapted for use principally uponice or frozen snow.

The invention is fully disclosed in the followin g specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which Figure 1 is a sideView of my improvement, and Fig. 2 a rear end view.

In the practice of my invention I provide a frame comprising a skate orrunner A, a forward vertical standard B, and a rear upwardl y andforwardly directed brace (J, and the standard B and the brace O areunited by a bar D, which extends parallel with the skate or runner andwhich extends forward of the standard B and is provided with anupwardly-directed arm or extension d, at the top of which is across-head E, in which is mounted a handle-bar or shaft F, each end ofwhich is provided with a crank G, to which is secured a handle g, andmounted on the handle-bar or shaft F is a sprocket-wheel K.

Projecting forwardly and in line with the skate or runner A is a bar L,the rear end of which is secured to the standard 13 at the predetermineddistance before the skate or runner A, and extending downwardly fromsaid bar L is a brace M, thelower end of which is secured to the skateor runner, and said bar is also provided with a similar brace m,which issecured to the forward end of the skate or runner, which is upwardlycurved at this point, as shown at m.

The forward end of the bar L is divided or forked at L, and mounted inthe forward end of said fork is an axle O, on which is mounted a tubularhead or hub 0 provided with a sprocket-wheel O and extending from thecross-head E, in which the handle-bar or shaft F is mounted, is a rod orbar P, which is divided or forked at P, and the lower end of said forkalso connects with the shaft 0, and an ordinary drive-chain R is mountedon the sprocket-wheels K and O and secured to the hub or tubular head 0is a segmental or semicircular steel band S, which is connected withsaid hub or head by a radial arm S.

I also provide an ordinary seat '1, which is preferably similar to thatemployed on bicycles, and mounted transversely of the standard B and thebrace M is a pivotally-supported cross-bar U, the ends of which arepreferably provided with depending portions IV, and said crossbar U isadapted to serve as a support for the feet and also to assist insupporting the device when in operation and in maintaining the same in avertical position.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

The segmental or semicircular band S is provided with teeth orprojections on its outer surface and is adapted to be revolved on theshaft or axle O by means of the drive-chain R and the handle-bar orshaft F, the latter of which is adapted to be operated by-hand, as willbe readily understood.

In practice the party operating the device is seated upon the seat T,and placing his feet upon the cross-bar U, which is pivotally supported,as hereinbefore described, operates the shaft F by means of the cranks Gand handles g, so as to revolve or turn the segmental or semicircularplate S. In the revolution of this plate it comes in contact with theice or frozen surface and pulls the machine forward, as will be readilyunderstood, and in this operation said segmental plate revolves betweenthe forked ends of the bars or rods L and P.

By depressing the pivoted cross-bar U, by which the feet are supportedon either side, the skate can be turned in either direction, as will bereadily understood by those familiar with the operation of this class ofdevices. lVhen the depending portion W is brought in contact with theice on one side, the skate will be turned in that direction, and whenbrought in contact with the ice on the opposite side the skate will besimilarly turned, and it will be also understood that this device may beused to support the skate and hold it in a vertical or substantiallyvertical position simply by pressing the same in contact with the ice onone side.

The bottom of the runner A is preferably convex in cross-section, andthe segmental or circular plate S may be formed into a complete wheel,if desired, though a semicircular toothed band or plate is to bepreferred in this machine as a propeller for the reason that when itencounters an obstruction it will bend and pass it without raising thefront end of the machine, as a circular propeller would do, and for thefurther reason that such a propeller will allow the machine to run byreason of its momentum after the propeller has been operated by simplyholding the latter in an upward position, an operation which would beimpossible with any other form of propeller.

It is evident that other changes in and modifications of theconstruction herein described may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages, and, if preferred,I may provide two runners A and thus form a safer and more staplemachine.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a skating device, the combination of a runner,a vertical frame connected therewith and supported thereby, and providedwith a forwardly-directed fork, a sprocketwheel mounted thereon, asegmental or semicircular plate connected with said sprocketwheel andprovided with teeth or projections on its outer surface, asprocket-wheel supported on the upper part of the frame, a drive-chainconnecting said sprocket-wheels and means for operating the same,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a skating device, the combination with arunner, of avertical frameconnected therewith, and supported thereby, a sprocketwheel mounted inthe forward portion of the runner-fra1ne,a transverse shaft mounted inthe upper part of said frame, cranks secured to the ends of saidtransverse shaft, and provided with handles, a semicircular or segmentalplate mounted on the shaft in the forward portion of the runner-frame, asprocket-chain connected with the sprocket-wheel of the transverseshaft, and the sprocket-wheel of the shaft mounted on the forwardportion of the frame, said segmental plate being provided with teeth orprojections whereby the sprocket-wheel on the transverse shaft may beoperated by the cranks, and handles secured to the ends of said shaft torotate the sprocket-wheel on the shaft mounted in the forward part ofthe frame, substantially as described.

3. In a skating device, the combination of a runner, a vertical frameconnected therewith and supported thereby, and provided with aforwardly-directed fork, a sprocketwhcel mounted thereon, a segmental orsemicircular plate connected with said sprocketwheel and provided withteeth or projections on its outer surface, a sprocket-wheel supported onthe upper part of the frame, a driveehain connecting said sprocket-wheeland means for operating the same, consisting of a handle-bar or shaft onwhich the upper sprocket-wheel is mounted, and crank-shafts connectedtherewith, said frame being also provided with a seat and with across-bar near the bottom thereof, which is pivotally supported, andserves as a support for the feet, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a skating device, the combination of a runner, a vertical frameconnected therewith and supported thereby, and provided with aforwardly-directed fork, a sprocketwheel mounted thereon, a segmental orsemicircular plate connected with said sprocketwheel and provided withteeth or projections on its outer surface, a sprocket-wheel supported onthe upper part of the frame, a drivechain connecting said sprocket-wheeland means for operating the same, consisting of a handle-bar or shaft onwhich the upper sprocket-wheel is mounted, and crank-shafts connectedtherewith, said frame being also provided with a seat and with across-bar near the bottom thereof, which is pivotally supported, andserves as a support for the feet, said cross-bar being provided at itsends with downwardly-directed portions, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 20th day ofNovember, 1895.

SAMUEL RABINOW'ITZ.

IVitnesses:

GRIER FLYNN, J. A. GLEASON.

ICO

